After Kajal Aggarwal photo, Lord Vinayaka picture finds place on smart card issued by TN govt

Rajasekaran RK| TNN | Updated: Sep 18, 2017, 19:00 IST

Lord Vinayaka's photograph appeared on a smart card issued by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department

TIRUPUR: Lord Vinayaka can remove all obstacles in one's life. But the question is: will a picture of Lord Vinayaka on a smart card issued by a state government department remove obstacles or create more hindrances for the card holder?

Lord Vinayaka's photograph has appeared on a smart card issued by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department to a resident of Udumalpet in Tirupur district.

N Nallasivam of Vadugampalayam was surprised when he collected the smart card from a ration shop in the area on Friday last. Instead of his photo, he found Lord Vinayaka's picture on the smart card.

TOP COMMENTWhat is wrong with rajasekharan ? Why he is so anti hindu ? Some thing might have happened. There might be some overlook, somewhere. In the place of ganesh , suppose there is some other symbol , of ... Read MorePvs Prasad

On Monday, Nallasivam submitted the smart card to a civil supplies office in the area to get a new one carrying his photo.

Recently, Saroja Periyathambi, a 64-year-old woman at Kaamalapuram in Salem district, found actress Kajal Aggarwal's photo when she received her smart card from a ration shop in the area.

CBI is not fully exempt from RTI Act, rules Delhi High Court

Provision can't be used to deny information related to corruption charges, other violations

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

The CBI cannot claim absolute exemption from disclosing information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violations held by it under the RTI Act, the Delhi High Court has held.

The CBI has been denying information citing Section 24 of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which says that its provisions will not apply on intelligence and security organisations, which also include IB, RAW, NIA and the Enforcement Directorate.

The CBI was included in the list by the erstwhile UPA Government.

The Act however clearly states that the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations will not fall under the exemption given to these organisations under Section 24 of the RTI Act.

Hyderabad-based RTI activist C J Karira had sought information pertaining to corruption in several top offices of the country from the CBI, but the agency had said since it is exempted from the RTI Act, it will not share such records.

It had also said that the information on alleged corruption and human rights violations can only be disclosed if the allegations are against any official of the agency.

This was an incorrect interpretation, as the RTI Act dealt with information 'held or controlled' by a public authority and does not make any distinction if the allegations of corruption are against its employee or not, the CIC had noted.

In 2012, then Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra had rejected the claims of the agency saying when it comes to disclosure of information on allegations of corruption, blanket immunity given to the agency from the RTI Act in Section 24 will not apply.

The agency had challenged it in the Delhi High Court.

In a judgement earlier this month, the High Court rejected the argument of the agency and said the allegations of corruption do not attract blanket exemption given to the agency in Section 24.

It has said the information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violation can be denied only if they fell under Section 8(1) of the RTI Act which gives 10 grounds on which information can be denied.

"It is apparent from the plain reading of the first proviso to Section 24(1) of the Act that the information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violations are not excluded from the purview," Justice Vibhu Bakhru pointed out.

The judge also cited a recent order of the High Court which dealt with the information sought from the Intelligence Bureau, also an exempted organisation under the RTI Act.

"The only conclusion that can be drawn is that, if the information sought pertains to allegations of corruption and human rights violations, it would be exempt from the exclusion clause, irrespective of the fact that the information pertains to the exempt intelligence and security organisations or not, or pertains to an officer of the Intelligence Bureau or not," the bench had said in the order.

Karira, who was present in the court, stated that the information sought by him has now become stale and he should be permitted to file a fresh application.

"In the event, such application is filed, the petitioner (the CBI) would examine the same. Although it would not be open for the petitioner to claim that information related to allegations of corruption in other organisation is exempt from disclosure, however, the petitioner would be liberty to examine whether the information sought by the petitioner is exempt under any clauses of Section 8(1) of the RTI Act," Justice Bakhru said.

He also upheld the cost put by the Central Information Commission to the CBI.

"The CIC had also awarded a cost of Rs 153 to the petitioner, which the petitioner has not paid as yet. The petitioner is directed to pay the sum along with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum from October 31, 2012 till the date of payment. Such payment as directed be paid within a period of four weeks from today," he said.

Right to information

• The CBI has been denying information citing Section 24 of the  RTI Act
• IB, RAW, NIA and the Enforcement Directorate are on the exempted list
• The CBI was included in the list by the erstwhile UPA government
• The Act clearly states the information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations will not fall under Section 24
• RTI activist C J Karira had sought information pertaining to corruption, but the CBI declined to share it

To crack NEET, medical aspirants take a break

Vinayashree J| TNN | Updated: Sep 18, 2017, 08:25 IST



CHENNAI: She had always aspired to become a doctor, but Meena* opted for a geology course at a city college after securing 94% in her Class XII board exams this year.

With a NEET score below 150, Meena could not make it to a medical college. But she is not giving up. She has taken up geology as it will give her the time to prepare for the exam next year. "I wanted to drop year but my parents were against it. So I took up a lighter course that would give me enough time to prepare for next year's NEET," she said.

Meena is not alone. Unable to crack NEET, several students in the city have either decided to take a break or join courses that are less time-consuming.

Rajesh of Pioneer Academy said several students pursuing BSc in Agriculture and BPharma courses want to take up weekend or evening classes for NEET. "Many of them want to give it a shot next year," he said.

Arts and science colleges in the city said they got enquiries following the NEET results even though admissions for most were over in August. Some colleges said they received a higher number of applications for courses across the board. Given the uncertainty surrounding NEET, institutions said students had sensed the high competition and had sought seats in other courses.

Loyola College said they had received around 40,000 applications -- almost 10,000 more than the average number every year - which was an all-time high. "We saw high demand for science courses that are usually not much sought after," said the college's PRO Anthony Samy.

The prospective NEET takers are not limited to those who have joined arts and science colleges. Several medical aspirants turned engineering students too are eyeing next year's NEET. This group has two types of students - while one set has joined engineering for the present academic year and are planning to prepare for NEET, there are those who have finished a year in engineering and are now keen on taking up NEET coaching.

Many students from Anna University have taken TC

after a year of engineering and are enrolling for coaching programmes to pursue medicine. "Some engineering students who had settled for the course want to join crash courses ahead of next year's NEET," said Sanjay Dadlani of the academy.

There are some, especially from the state board, who are staying away from the colleges altogether. The concept of taking a gap year is not new. Many state board students last year had enrolled for coaching to get a grasp of study material modelled on the CBSE syllabus.


This year too, many coaching centres have been kept busy, getting enquiries and admitting students for the year-long course. Some centres are offering CBSE Class XI and XII coaching along with NEET material.


K Yagnesh from Holy Cross Matriculation HSS said he decided to drop a year and concentrate on NEET.

"It was a sudden shift from state board to a CBSE-based paper. So I decided to take a year gap and enroll for coaching as I felt I could do better in NEET if prepared for it," he said.

(*name changed)

Teachers strike is a reason for TN students’ poor NEET performance, Madras HC says

Sureshkumar| TNN | Updated: Sep 13, 2017, 14:36 IST

HIGHLIGHTS

Madras high court pulls up striking teachers in Tamil Nadu
The court says strikes by teachers are also a primary reason for students' low marks in NEET
The court directs the government to file a report by September 18

Madras high court

CHENNAI: Censuring government teachers who are boycotting classes as part of their protest along with other state government employees demanding implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, Justice N Kirubakaran of the Madras high court on Wednesday said such boycotts and strikes by teachers were also a primary reason for government school students' low marks in NEET.

"Only five government school students from the state have managed to secure medical seats. Protesting teachers should feel ashamed of this fact. They should know their responsibility. Such persons cannot involve in strikes," Justice Kirubakaran said.

The judge then directed the government to file a report by September 18 explaining the steps taken to bring the protests to an end.

Justice Kirubakaran made the observations while hearing a plea moved by advocate A P Suryaprakasam seeking a direction to the government to form an expert committee to urgently and effectively advise and prepare student community who have scored low marks in NEET and to provide psychological and moral support to face the reality.

TOP COMMENTTN has a serious problem with corruption, OBC reservations to ridiculous levels. Their opposition to NEET only says that they want an easy way to get medical seats. I hope the central govt does not b... Read MoreEland Kumar

The petitioner submitted that student community is not only in a state of shock but also have the feeling of let down by the state and central governments.



It will be therefore appropriate and need of the hour that those state syllabus students who have lost the opportunity of joining medical colleges along with the future aspiring students should be given counselling by their erstwhile class teachers or any other school authorities to prevent tragedies like medical aspirant S Anitha's suicide.

முதல் ஒருநாள் போட்டியில் இந்தியா அபார வெற்றி

2017-09-18@ 01:21:43




சென்னை: ஆஸ்திரேலிய அணியுடனான முதல் ஒருநாள் போட்டியில், இந்தியா 26 ரன் வித்தியாசத்தில் (டி/எல் விதிப்படி) அபாரமாக வென்றது.
சென்னையில் நேற்று நடந்த இப்போட்டியில், டாசில் வென்ற இந்தியா முதலில் பேட் செய்தது. தொடக்க வீரர்களாக ரகானே, ரோகித் களமிறங்கினர். ரகானே 5 ரன் எடுத்து கோல்டர் நைல் வேகத்தில் விக்கெட் கீப்பர் மேத்யூ வேட் வசம் பிடிபட்டார். கேப்டன் கோஹ்லி 4 பந்துகளை மட்டுமே சந்தித்த நிலையில், மேக்ஸ்வெல்லின் அற்புதமான கேட்சில் டக் அவுட்டாகி வெளியேறினார். அடுத்து வந்த மணிஷ் பாண்டேவும் ரன் ஏதும் எடுக்காமல் பெவிலியன் திரும்ப, இந்தியா 11 ரன்னுக்கு அடுத்தடுத்து 3 விக்கெட் இழந்து தடுமாறியது.

இந்த நிலையில், ரோகித் - கேதார் ஜோடி 4வது விக்கெட்டுக்கு 53 ரன் சேர்த்தது. ரோகித் 28 ரன், கேதார் 40 ரன் (54 பந்து, 5 பவுண்டரி) எடுத்து ஆட்டமிழந்தனர். இந்தியா 21.3 ஓவரில் 87 ரன்னுக்கு 5 விக்கெட் இழந்து திணற, இக்கட்டான கட்டத்தில் ஹர்திக் - டோனி ஜோடி 6வது விக்கெட்டுக்கு பொறுப்புடன் விளையாடி ரன் சேர்த்தது. டோனி நிதானமாக கம்பெனி கொடுக்க, ஹர்திக் அதிரடியாக விளையாடி ஸ்கோரை உயர்த்தினார். ஸ்டேடியத்தின் கூரையைத் தொடும் அளவுக்கு இமாலய சிக்சர்களைப் பறக்கவிட்டு ரசிகர்களை பரவசத்தில் ஆழ்த்திய ஹர்திக், 83 ரன் (66 பந்து, 5 பவுண்டரி, 5 சிக்சர்) விளாசி ஸம்பா சுழலில் பாக்னர் வசம் பிடிபட்டார்.

நிதானமாக விளையாடிய டோனி 75 பந்தில் ஒரே ஒரு பவுண்டரியுடன் தனது 66வது அரை சதத்தை எட்டினார். பின்னர் டாப் கியருக்கு மாறிய அவர், புவனேஷ்வருடன் இணைந்து ஆஸி. பந்துவீச்சை பதம் பார்த்தார். இருவரும் 7வது விக்கெட்டுக்கு 72 ரன் சேர்த்தனர். டோனி 79 ரன் விளாசி (88 பந்து, 4 பவுண்டரி, 2 சிக்சர்) பாக்னர் வேகத்தில் வார்னரிடம் பிடிபட்டார். இந்தியா 50 ஓவரில் 7 விக்கெட் இழப்புக்கு 281 ரன் குவித்தது. கடைசி 20 ஓவரில் மட்டும் 160 ரன் சேர்ந்தது. புவனேஷ்வர் 32 ரன் (30 பந்து, 5 பவுண்டரி), குல்தீப் (0) ஆட்டமிழக்காமல் இருந்தனர். இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, ஆஸி. 50 ஓவரில் 282 ரன் எடுத்தால் வெற்றி என்ற இலக்குடன் இன்னிங்சை தொடங்கவிருந்த நிலையில், கனமழை கொட்டியதால் ஆட்டம் தடைபட்டது.

பின்னர் தொடர்ந்த ஆட்டத்தில், ஆஸி. அணி 21 ஓவரில் 164 ரன் எடுத்தால் வெற்றி என இலக்கு மாற்றியமைக்கப்பட்டது. அந்த அணி 21 ஓவரில் 9 விக்கெட் இழப்புக்கு 137 ரன் எடுத்து தோல்வியை தழுவியது. மேக்ஸ்வெல் அதிகபட்சமாக 39 ரன் (18 பந்து, 3 பவுண்டரி, 4 சிக்சர்) விளாசினார். பாக்னர் 32 ரன், வார்னர் 25 ரன் எடுத்தனர். இந்திய பந்துவீச்சில் சஹால் 3, ஹர்திக், குல்தீப் யாதவ் தலா 2, புவனேஸ்வர் குமார், பும்புரா தலா ஒரு விக்கெட் வீழ்த்தினர். ஹர்திக் ஆட்ட நாயகன் விருது பெற்றார். இந்தியா 1-0 என முன்னிலை வகிக்க, 2வது போட்டி கொல்கத்தாவில் 21ம் தேதி நடைபெற உள்ளது.


ஹாட்ரிக் சிக்சர்...

இக்கட்டான கட்டத்தில் களமிறங்கினாலும், ஹர்திக் பாண்டியா அதிரடியாக விளையாடி இந்திய அணி சவாலான ஸ்கோரை எட்ட உதவினார். ஆடம் ஸம்பா வீசிய 37வது ஓவரின் முதல் பந்தில் டோனி 1 ரன் எடுக்க, 2வது பந்தை பவுண்டரிக்கு விரட்டிய ஹர்திக் அடுத்த 3 பந்துகளையும் சிக்சருக்கு தூக்கி அசத்தினார். அந்த ஓவரில் மட்டும் இந்தியாவுக்கு 24 ரன் கிடைத்தது. இந்த ஆண்டு விளையாடிய சர்வதேச போட்டிகளில் அவர் 4வது முறையாக ஹாட்ரிக் சிக்சர் அடித்துள்ளார்.

டபுள் டக்...

இந்திய அணியின் பேட்டிங்கில் கேப்டன் விராத் கோஹ்லி, மணிஷ் பாண்டே இருவரும் நேற்று டக் அவுட்டாகி ஏமாற்றமளித்தனர். ஒருநாள் போட்டிகளில், ஒரே இன்னிங்சில் இந்திய அணியின் 3வது மற்றும் 4வது பேட்ஸ்மேன் அடுத்தடுத்து டக் அவுட் ஆவது இது 4வது முறையாகும். இந்த ஆண்டில் கோஹ்லி விளையாடியுள்ள 19 ஒருநாள் போட்டிகளில் 2வது முறையாக டக் அவுட்டாகி உள்ளார். 2015 மற்றும் 2016ல் மொத்தம் 30 இன்னிங்ஸ் விளையாடிய அவர், அதில் ஒரு முறை கூட ரன் எடுக்காமல் பெவிலியன் திரும்பியதில்லை என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

67வது பந்தில் முதல் பவுண்டரி...

டோனி நேற்று களமிறங்கியபோது இந்தியா 16 ஓவரில் 64 ரன்னுக்கு 4 விக்கெட் இழந்து தடுமாறிக் கொண்டிருந்ததால், அவர் பொறுப்புடன் நிதானமாக விளையாடி ரன் சேர்த்தார். தான் சந்தித்த 67வது பந்தில் தான் முதல் பவுண்டரியையே அடித்தார். பிறகு அதிரடியாக விளையாடிய டோனி 88 பந்தில் 4 பவுண்டரி, 2 சிக்சர் உட்பட 79 ரன் விளாசி ரசிகர்களை மகிழ்வித்தார். அவர் ஒருநாள் போட்டிகளில் தனது 66வது அரை சதத்தை நேற்று பதிவு செய்தார்.

Doctor dreams collapse due to lack of funds

G Sukanya aspires to be a doctor

CHENNAI: The dream of G Sukanya (23) had been to be a doctor. Until May, her dream was only a few months away from becoming a reality; now, it could remain just a dream.A medical seat didn’t come easy for Sukanya, who was from the Arunthathiyar SC community. When she didn’t get a seat in Government medical colleges, her father, a farmer, decided that that he would make her a doctor somehow, even if it meant selling all his property to get her a seat in a deemed university. It cost Rs 45 lakh, to be precise.
After paying Rs 16 lakh for the first and second academic years, her father passed away, leaving her looking skyward for a miracle. Unable to pay the fees for the third year, the college authorities allegedly asked her to leave which she eventually did in May this year.

“Since 2014, the authorities had been warning me that if I am unable to pay the fees, I have to leave. I joined the college in the year 2012 and yearly we had to pay Rs 8 lakh. In 2014, I was in the third year and was allowed to continue. By the end of 2015, I was not regular to college as the authorities went on asking for fees but I couldn’t pay. There was a gap of one-and-a-half years when I didn’t continue studies,” she said adding that it was this year in the month of May she had to give up her dreams.

Helpless yet determined to continue pursuing her dreams, she approached five businessmen and politicians in Coimbatore. But nobody was willing to pay the full amount. “From third year to the fifth year, it would cost Rs 24 lakh. But I asked only for Rs 8 lakh. They said they were ready to pay Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Even this they were not confident of paying,” she said.

While her father was a farmer, he sold bathroom tiles along with farming that fetched him around Rs 50,000 monthly. But after his demise, her mother started working in a dye factory and began earning Rs 10,000 a month which was sufficient for the two. But fulfilling her daughter’s dreams was impossible. “I want her to complete her MBBS. I just wish we get some sponsors. She had worked hard for this and she can do it. But if she has to give up her dreams due to lack of finance, it would be disappointing,” said B Sathya, her mother.

Sukanya said in Government colleges, an SC/ST student gets a scholarship of Rs 3 lakh and yearly, they have to pay less than Rs 50,000. But as she was in a deemed university, she is not eligible for a scholarship. “My teachers are saying that the management is only money oriented and are not bothered if I finish my MBBS. Now, I am waiting for somebody to help. I am also seeking help from activists,” she said.
She also added that when she approached banks for loans, they refused, saying they couldn’t provide loans in the middle of a course.

R Christiodas Gandhi, founder of Ambedkar Kalvi Centenary Movement (AKAM) said that since it was a deemed university, the activists could not approach the authority.“This is a case study of a capitation-fee victim. The SC/ST students in such colleges are ignored. We want to approach the management and urge them to consider her case,” he said, and added that they would also approach the Government for scholarship. “She was not able get loans or scholarships. Inspite of poverty, her father wanted her to pursue medicine. Dreams like hers get crushed because of the money-mindedness of colleges,” he said.

Linking Mobile Number With Aadhaar: Misinterpreting A Supreme Court Order | Live Law

Linking Mobile Number With Aadhaar: Misinterpreting A Supreme Court Order | Live Law: It appears many telecom service providers have been alerting their customers to link their mobile numbers with their Aadhaar numbers, in terms of a circular issued on March 23, 2017, by the Department of Telecom (DoT).   This circular calls upon all the telecom operators to conduct an Aadhaar-based re-verification exercise  of all existing pre-paid and …